The present invention relates initially, and thus generally, to an improved debris collection apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved debris collection apparatus that utilizes a toroidal vortex such that the air pressure within the device housing is below atmospheric. In the present invention, this prevents debris-laden air within the device from being carried to the surrounding atmosphere. The addition of enhanced collection apparatus ensures that attracted debris is properly deposited within the device.
The use of vortex forces is known in various arts, including the separation of matter from liquid and gas effluent flow streams, the removal of contaminated air from a region and the propulsion of objects. However, a toroidal vortex has not previously been provided in a vacuum device having light weight and high efficiency.
The prior art is strikingly devoid of references dealing with toroidal vortices in a particulate/debris collection application. However, an Australian reference has some similarities. Though it does not approach the scope of the present invention, it is worth discussing its key features of operation such that one skilled in the art can readily see how its shortcomings are overcome by the present invention disclosed herein.
In discussing Day International Publication number WO 00/19881 (the xe2x80x9cDay publicationxe2x80x9d), an explanation of the Coanda effect is required. This is the ability for a jet of air to follow around a curved surface. It is generally referred to without explaining the effect, but is simply understood provided that one makes use of xe2x80x9cmomentumxe2x80x9d theory; a system based on Newton""s laws of motion, rather than try to weave an understanding from Bernoulli.
FIG. 1 shows the establishment of the Coanda effect. In (A) air is blown out horizontally from a nozzle 100 with constant speed V. The nozzle 100 is placed adjacent to a curved surface 102. Where the air jet 101 touches the curved surface 102 at point 103, the air between the jet 101 and the surface 102 as it curves away is pulled into the moving airstream both by air friction and the reduced air pressure in the jet stream, which can be derived using Bernoulli. As the air is carried away, the pressure at point 103 drops. There is now a pressure difference across the jet stream so the stream is forced to bend down, as in (B). New contact point 104 appears to the right of previous point 103. As air is continuously being pulled away at contact point 104, the jet continues to be pulled down to the curved surface 102 until it reaches contact point 105 as depicted in (C). The process continues until the air jet velocity V is reduced by air and surface friction.
FIG. 2 shows the steady state Coanda effect dynamics. Air is ejected horizontally from a nozzle 200 with speed represented by vector 201 tangentially to a curved surface 203. The air follows the surface 203 with a mean radius 204. Air, having mass, tries to move in a straight line in conformance with the law of conservation of momentum. However, it is deflected around by a pressure difference across the flow 202. The pressure on the outside is atmospheric, and that on the inside of the airstream at the curved surface is atmospheric minus V2/R where  is the density of the air.
The vacuum cleaner coanda application of the Day publication has an annular jet 300 with a spherical surface 301, as shown in FIG. 3. The air may be ejected sideways radially, or may have a spin to it as shown with both radial and tangential components of velocity. Such an arrangement has many applications and is the basis for various xe2x80x9cflying saucerxe2x80x9d designs.
The simplest coanda nozzle 402 described in the Day publication is shown in FIG. 4. Generally, the nozzle 402 comprises a forward housing 407, rear housing 408 and central divider 403. Air is delivered by a fan to an air delivery duct 400 and led to the output nozzle 410. At this point the airflow cross section is reduced so that air flowing through the nozzle 402 does so at high speed. The air may also have a rotational component, as there is no provision for straightening the airflow after it leaves the air pumping fan. The central divider 403 swells out in the terminating region of the output nozzle 410 and has a smoothly curved surface 404 for the air to flow around into the air return duct using the coanda effect.
Air in the space below the coanda surface moves at high speed and is at a lower than ambient pressure. Thus dust in the region is swept up 405 into the airflow 409 and carried into the air return duct 406. For dust to be carried up this duct, the pressure must be low and a steady flow rate maintained. After passing through a dust collection system the air is connected through a fan back to the air delivery duct. Constriction of the airflow by the output nozzle leads to a pressure above ambient in this duct ahead of the jet. In sum, air pressure within the system is above ambient in the air delivery duct and below ambient in the air return duct. The overall system is not shown, as this is not necessary to understand its fundamental characteristics.
Coanda attraction to a curved surface is not perfect, and as shown in FIG. 5, not all the air issuing from the output nozzle is turned around to enter the air return duct. An outer layer of air proceeds in a straight fashion causing stray air 501 to exit. When the nozzle is close to the floor, this stray air 501 will be deflected to move horizontally parallel to the floor and should be picked up by the air return duct if the pressure there is sufficiently low. In this case, the system may be considered sealed; no air enters or leaves, and all the air leaving the output nozzle is returned.
When the nozzle is high above the ground, however, there is nothing to turn stray air 501 around into the air return duct and it proceeds out of the nozzle area. Outside air 502, with a low energy level is sucked into the air return to make up the loss. The system is no longer sealed. An example of what happens then is that dust underneath and ahead of the nozzle is blown away. In a bagless system such as this, where fine dust is not completely spun out of the airflow but recirculates around the coanda nozzle, some of this dust will be returned to the surrounding air.
Air leakage is exacerbated by rotation in the air delivery duct caused by the pumping fan. Air leaving the output nozzle rotates so that centrifugal force spreads out the airflow into a cone. This results in the generation of a larger amount of stray air. Air rotation can be eliminated by adding flow straightening vanes to the air delivery duct, but these are neither mentioned nor illustrated in the Day publication.
A side and bottom view of an annular coanda nozzle system 600 is shown in FIG. 6. This is a symmetrical version of the nozzle shown in FIG. 4. Generally, the nozzle system 600 comprises outer housing 602, air delivery duct 601, air return duct 605, flow spreader 603 and annular coanda nozzle 604. Air passes down through the central air delivery duct 601, and is guided out sideways by flow spreader 603 to flow over an annular curved surface 610 by the coanda effect, and is collected through the air return duct 605 by tubular outer housing 602.
This arrangement suffers from the previously described shortcomings in that air strays away from the coanda flow, particularly when the jet is spaced away from a surface.
While it is conceivable that the performance of the invention of the Day publication would be improved by blowing air in the reverse direction, down the outer air return duct and back up through the central air delivery duct, stray air would then accumulate in the central area rather than be ejected out radially. Unfortunately, the spinning air from the air pump fan would cause the air from the nozzle to be thrown out radially due to centrifugal force (centripetal acceleration) and the system would not work. This effect could be overcome by the addition of flow straightening vanes following the fan. However, none are shown, and one may conclude that the effects of spiraling airflow were not understood by the designer.
The Day publication has more complex systems with jets to accelerate airflow to pull it around the coanda surface, and additional jets to blow air down to stir up dust and others to optimize airflow within the system. However, these additions are not pertinent to the analysis herein.
The Day publication, in most of its configurations, is coaxial in that air is blown out from a central duct and is returned into a coaxial return duct. The toroidal vortex attractor, the basis of the present invention, is coaxial and operates the reverse way in that air is blown out of an annular duct and returned into a central duct. The one is the reverse of the other.
The inventor has also noted the presence of xe2x80x9ccyclonexe2x80x9d bagless vacuum cleaners in the prior art. The present invention utilizes an entirely different type of flow geometry allowing for much greater efficiency and lighter weight. Further, with regard to the improved collection apparatus of the present invention, applicant has noted the presence of refuse collection and compression apparatus. However, none of these apparatus approach the scope of the present invention. Nonetheless, the following represent references that the inventor believes to be representative of the art in the applicable fields. One skilled in these arts will plainly see that even these do not approach the scope of the present invention.
Reinhall U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,385 discloses a compaction apparatus for use with lawn grooming equipment such as a lawn mower, leaf blower and the like. The device comprises a compactor housing having an inlet opening at one end to receive the refuse material picked up from the lawn and a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the housing to transport and compact the received material as it is advanced through the conveyor housing. Perforations in the housing provide outlets for evacuating from the housing, air and moisture separated from the compressed material as it is initially compacted in the housing. A flexible tubular collector casing or hose is extensibly connected to the outlet end of the compactor housing, into which the initially compacted material is continuously advanced. The cuttings and other refuse material are further compacted against the interior wall of the casing by the force of the continuously advancing material and form a plug in the end of the hose-like casing, causing it to extend from the outlet end of the compactor housing. The compacted refuse material crawls in serpentine fashion along a guided path on the top of the main body of the grooming equipment. When the casing, filled up with backed-up refuse material, has been extended or unfolded, the resultant refuse is severed from the compactor housing and may be dropped on the lawn for subsequent removal to composting dump or other collection site. The screw conveyor may be provided with a bore for transporting a composting fluid from the inlet end of the conveyor to be discharged into the housing towards its outlet end. While the apparatus of Reinhall is directed to the attraction and compaction of refuse, the present invention utilizes completely different means to these ends. To attract the refuse, the present invention utilizes a toroidal vortex flow. Such flows are neither mentioned nor contemplated by Reinhall. Also in distinction, the present invention uses a screw to catch and compress the attracted debris.
Namdari U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,997 teaches an apparatus for leaf and grass vacuuming and compaction in a bag. The apparatus is usable independently, but is shown in the reference shown mounted on a wheeled carriage of a power lawnmower on which are mounted a push-handle, a gasoline engine, a lawnmower blade drivable by the engine, a vacuum chamber enclosing a fan drivable by the engine, and a receptacle bag above which is mounted a compactor having a reciprocating ram. The ram is driven either by a belt-drive from the engine, or by an electric motor energized from the engine generator or starter battery, or by a hydraulic pump/motor system driven by the engine. A pick-up hose is attached to the vacuum chamber inlet and a discharge hose is attached to the vacuum chamber outlet whereby material such as leaves and grass clippings entering the pick-up hose are expelled through the discharge hose into the removable bag. As the material fills the bag, the compactor is actuated to cause the movable ram member to repeatedly descend into the bag to compact the material therein. The compactor also includes a fan or centrifuge for blowing material off the ram and into the bag after the ram returns above the bag opening. The pick-up hose is selectively connectable to the lawnmower to pick up material as the lawn is being mowed or as the carriage is moved or manually while the carriage is stationary and the mower is disengaged. While Namdari is directed to an apparatus for the collection and compaction of debris, it does not utilize even remotely similar attraction and compression means.
Dyson U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,429 discloses a vacuum cleaning appliance utilizing series connected cyclones. The appliance utilizes a high-efficiency cyclone in series with a low-efficiency cyclone. This is done in order to effectively collect both large and small particles. In conventional cyclone vacuum cleaners, large particles are carried by a high-efficiency cyclone, thereby reducing efficiency and increasing noise. Therefore, Dyson teaches incorporating a low-efficiency cyclone to handle the large particles. Small particles continue to be handled by the high-efficiency cyclone. The type of flow geometry taught by Dyson is entirely distinct from that described herein. Furthermore, the energy required to sustain this flow is much greater than that of the present invention.
Holtom U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,710 teaches a refuse compactor having a storage/compaction chamber, a lid, and a compaction blade. The compaction blade is driven by a cylinder that is attached to either the lid or the chamber. The device is meant for use as a refuse collector/compactor in areas too densely populated to allow for a conventional garbage truck to pass through. While Holtom teaches an apparatus for compaction of refuse, it does not teach any means of collecting the refuse, and further, utilizes completely different means of compaction.
Song, et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,835 is directed to a vacuum cleaner having a cyclone dust collecting device for separating and collecting dust and dirt of a comparatively large particle size. The dust and dirt is sucked into the cleaner by centrifugal force. The cyclone dust collecting device is biaxially placed against the extension pipe of the cleaner and includes a cyclone body having two tubes connected to the extension pipe and a dirt collecting tub connected to the cyclone body. Specifically, the dirt collecting tub is removable. The cyclone body has an air inlet and an air outlet. The dirt-containing air sucked via the suction opening enters via the air inlet in a slanting direction against the cyclone body, thereby producing a whirlpool air current inside of the cyclone body. The dirt contained in the air is separated from the air by centrifugal force and is collected at the dirt collecting tub. A dirt separating grill having a plurality of holes is formed at the air outlet of the cyclone body to prevent the dust from flowing backward via the air outlet together with the air. Thus, the dirt sucked in by the device is primarily collected by the cyclone dust connecting device, thus extending the period of time before replacing the paper filter. The device of Song et al differs primarily from the present invention in that it requires a filter. The present invention utilizes such an efficient flow geometry that the need for a filter is eliminated. Furthermore, the conventional cyclone flow of Song et al is traditionally less energy efficient and noisier than the present invention.
Thus, there is a clear and long felt need in the art for a by light weight, efficient and quiet debris collection apparatus.
The present invention was developed from the applicant""s prior inventions regarding toroidal vortex attractors (as disclosed, for example, in inventor""s application Ser. No. 09/829,416 entitled xe2x80x9cToroidal and Compound Vortex Attractor,xe2x80x9d which is herein incorporated by reference) and toroidal vortex bagless vacuum cleaners (as disclosed, for example, in inventor""s application Ser. No. 09/835,084 entitled xe2x80x9cToroidal Vortex Bagless Vacuum Cleaner,xe2x80x9d which is herein incorporated by reference).
Described herein are embodiments that deal with toroidal vortex vacuum cleaner nozzles and systems. The nozzles include simple concentric systems and more advanced, optimized systems. Such optimized systems utilize a thickened inner tube that is rounded off at the bottom for smooth airflow from the air delivery duct to the air return duct. It is also contemplated that the nozzle include flow straightening vanes to eliminate rotational components in the airflow that would greatly harm efficiency. The cross section of the nozzle need not be circular, in fact, a rectangular embodiment is disclosed therein, and other embodiments are possible.
A complete toroidal vortex bagless vacuum cleaner is also disclosed. The air mover is a centrifugal pump, much like those used in certain toroidal vortex attractor embodiments. Air leaving the centrifugal pump blades is spinning rapidly so that dust and dirt are thrown to the sidewalls of the casing. Ultimately, dirt is deposited in a centrifugal dirt separation area. The air then turns upwards over a dirt barrier and down the air delivery duct. At this point, the air is quite clean except for the finest particulates that do not deposit in the centrifugal dirt separation area. These particulates circulate through the system repeatedly until they are eventually deposited. The system operates below atmospheric pressure so that air laden with fine dust is constrained within the system, and cannot escape into the surrounding atmosphere.
Also disclosed is a complete debris attraction system with collection apparatus. A conventional toroidal vortex vacuum system is modified by the addition of a feed screw that assists in the depositing of collected debris into an isolated area. The device can also include removable collection means, such as a garbage bag or bucket, to hold the collected debris.
Unlike other vacuum cleaners that employ centrifugal dust separation (e.g., the xe2x80x9ccyclonexe2x80x9d types discussed above), the present invention spins the air around at the blade speed of the centrifugal pump. Thus, the system acts like a high speed centrifuge capable of removing very small particles from the airflow. Therefore, no vacuum bag or HEPA filter is required. However, an embodiment is taught that utilizes a bag (but not a conventional vacuum bag, i.e., those that act as a filter) to assist in the collection of large amounts of debris.
One of the main features of the present invention is the inherent low power consumption. There are no losses that must exist when vacuum bags or HEPA filters are utilized. These devices restrict the airflow, thus requiring greater power to maintain a proper flow rate. The majority of the power saving, however, comes from the closed air system in which energy supplied by the pump is not lost as air is expelled into the atmosphere, but is retained in the system. The design is expected to be practically maintenance free.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to utilize toroidal vortices in a vacuum cleaner application.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide toroidal vortex vacuum cleaner nozzles.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a complete toroidal vortex vacuum cleaner system.
Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient vacuum cleaner.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a quiet vacuum cleaner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a light weight vacuum cleaner.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low-maintenance vacuum cleaner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that does not require the use of filters.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that attracts debris using a toroidal vortex, and deposits it into a bag or bucket.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that attracts debris using a toroidal vortex, and with the help of a screw, deposits it into a bag or bucket.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that attracts debris using a toroidal vortex, and deposits it into a removable bag or bucket.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that attracts debris using a toroidal vortex, and with the help of a screw, deposits it into a removable bag or bucket.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved leaf collector.
These and other objects will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art upon review of the following description, figures and claims.